19 September 2019

Hutt City Council will provide a one-off grant to help Wellington City Mission set-up transitional housing in Lower Hutt for homeless people.

The grant is in line with Council’s homelessness strategy, which recently began funding services to assist homeless families and individuals into settled private rental accommodation, provide advocacy and support, and prevent those at risk from losing their tenancies from becoming homeless.

The $30,000 grant will assist Wellington City Mission establish transitional housing for up to 19 people, initially available to single men. The service includes social support for clients and assistance into settled accommodation.

The service will run out of Britannia House in Petone, which was recently purchased by Council Controlled Organisation Urban Plus Ltd and leased to Wellington City Mission for an initial three years.

Council Chief Executive Jo Miller says while Council’s homelessness strategy focuses on homelessness prevention and filling service gaps, Council had committed to exploring ways of increasing suitable temporary accommodation.

“Homelessness and housing hardship impose a grim toll on too many of our whanau and individuals, as well as a broader social and economic cost to Lower Hutt” she says.

“Only a managed, collaborative approach can solve this problem and this is a good example of a social service agency and central and local government working together to confront a complex problem.”

Council recently signed contracts with Lower Hutt-based Tuatahi Centre, to assist homeless families and individuals into settled private rentals, and with Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley, which is providing advocacy and advice. It is also in the process of selecting a service provider to help families and individuals at risk of losing their tenancies from becoming homeless.

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